slice backhand

[bdawg]

hey guys

I have a one handed backhand but for some reason I don't have a slice backhand. Simply put whenever I do a slice shot the ball floats way too high and almost appears as a lob...

does anyone have any clues what I'm doing wrong?

 

[ShockTreatment]

Your racket head is too much open, resulting in the ball floating too high.

Come from high, and then go to low and again to high. That should be the slice motion.

Depending on the ball contact point (whether it's under the hips or above), the racket head is slightly open but also can be vertical

 

[AngeloDS]

Take it above the knees, and move into it as you slice. It'll add more foreward motion to stop it from "floating" around. And don't take it straight down, take it an angle. Like around 45 degrees, from high to low while moving into the ball above knee height.

 

[nViATi]

try to hit through the ball. think of it more as a flat stroke that you're adding a little bit of underspin to.

 

[papa]

Yeah, good answers and consider looking at previous posts - I'd take a special look at what BB and MH have had to say but others have posted some excellent tips.

 

[TennsDog]

I used to do the same thing. Then I read that you need to close the racket face more, so I did. However, I still kept floating it. Then I realized that the racket face needs to be just about perpendicular to the ground. It is more the racket path than the angle of the face that produces the slice. Start with the racket face perpendicular to the ground and hold the racket just over your left (assuming your a righty) shoulder and parallel to the ground. Then, as you start your forward swing, the racket face should close as your wrist pronates into the shot. If you hit it with a perpendicular face and it goes into the net or without enough spin, then open the racket face just a little bit until you find the right angle to make it stay low and with spin.

 

[freshman_phenom]

just go from high to low then high....make sure you transfer weight into the ball...and when you follow through...you hitting arm should be forward and your non hitting arm should naturally move backwards

 

[FiveO]

hey guys

I have a one handed backhand but for some reason I don't have a slice backhand. Simply put whenever I do a slice shot the ball floats way too high and almost appears as a lob...

does anyone have any clues what I'm doing wrong?

The advice above is good. Another thing to check is to see if you're staying sideways on the forward stroke and not pulling off and across the linear contact zone. On the forward swing hide your off hand and arm from your opponent's view behind your body line. This will promote that linear hitting zone, 6" prior through 6" after contact, and as a result a more solid and penetrating slice.

I'd also be interested in what grip you're using on your one-hander.

Good Luck.